OCULAR AND VISUAL ABNORMALITIES

IS THE PATIENT’S VISION AT RISK? ▪ Immediate intervention for the following conditions can save vision: ▴ Acute angle-closure glaucoma ▴ Giant cell arteritis causing either•Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or•Central retinal artery occlusion ▴ Nonarteritic central retinal artery occlusion ▴ Endophthalmitis ▴ Corneal ulcer and/or infectious keratitis ▴ Retinal detachment ADDRESSING THE RISK ▪ For any ocular or visual complaint ▴ Measure visual acuity in each eye. Use distance or near chart, and test each eye separately, with patient wearing his or her usual glasses if available.•Has visual acuity changed from previously? By patient history? By previous and current examination?•Check the eye history for previous documented visual acuity. ▴ Is the complaint acute or chronic, unilateral or bilateral? ▴ Does the patient have a systemic disorder that could be related to the visual problem, e.g., hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercoagulable state, rheumatoid arthritis, other autoimmune disease?.